Cork-tapering machine.



Y I. T-.vMoCREADl comi TAPERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1906. I 1,116,830. Y Patented N0v.10,.1914.

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` J O/ gm @M7953 THE NORRIS PETERS CQ, PHOTUALITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

I. T. MOCRBADY. CORK TAPERING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1906. .1,1 1 6,830. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I. T. MOGREADY. 0011K TAPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9 1906. 1,116,830.

Patena Nv.1o, 19114.

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IIIIIIII; rigtglmummn, mmmxgl!! f n qu u M n I. T. MUGREADY. 0011K TAPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1906. 1,116,830. Patented N0v.10, 1914.

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I. T. MUCREADY.

CORK TAPBRING MACHINE. APPLIoATIoN riLnn ocT. 9, 190e.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

THE NoRRls PEIERS CO.. PNOYU-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, rJ. t

I. T. MOCREADY.

coax TAPERING MAoHIN'E. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1906.

HilllHHl Patented N0v.10, 1914.

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*UNTTED sTATns f PATENT orrron.

IRA T. IVICCREADY, 0F OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

CORK-TAPERING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. -Patented N0V 10, 1914,

Application led October 9, 1906. Serial No. 338,188. y

To all @710m #may concern.'

Be it known that I, Ina T. MGCREADY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Oak chines and the object of my present invention is to provide a simple and efficient machine so constructed and arranged as to be capable of a greater output than machines of this character heretofore used and also automatic in every respect from the feeding of the corks to the discharge thereof from the machine in completed condition.

The principal feature of my invention, and one which results in its rapid operation and increased output, resides in the provision of a novel centering device by which each cork is in its turn centered as received from a feed chute and thenr moved bodily with said centering device to the chucks and held thereby while being presented to the knife for the purpose of being tapered.

According to my construction "and arrangement, the cork is properly centered at all speeds of the machine and under all conditions, inasmuch as the centering device, which receives and determines the proper position of the cork, is itself movable bodily toward and away from the chucks, with the result that no opportunity exists for any rotation or displacement of the cork during its transfer to the chucks. In connection with or as a cooperating part of the centering device, I also employ a back piece or plate to form a stop or abutment for the cork and its delivery to the chuck and to assist in or assure of the centering of the cork, which plate is made movable to cooperate with the main centering device and so that it may bewithv drawn slightly from the cork to give it clearance during and after the cutting operation, and to permit the cork to drop after being released from the chucks.

Other features of advantage and utility of my present machine lwill be apparent from v the description hereinafter given.

In the drawings Figures 1 and 2 are different side elevations of my new machine; Fig. 3 a plan view thereof; Fig. 4 an elevation of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1 but made on a somewhat larger scale; Fig. 5 a sectional elevation on the line 5 5 of Fig. 7; Fig. 6 a sectional elevation on the line 6 6 in Fig. 7 Fig. 7 a plan view indicated by the line 7-7 and the arrow in Fig. 6 but showing a portion of the knife in dotted lines; Fig. 8 a sectional detail on the line'S-S of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 a perspective of the lower end of the feed tube or chute `Fig 10 a vertical sectional elevation on theline 10-10 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of they arrow, and Fig. 11 a vertical sectional elevation on the line 11-11 of Fig; 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. p

Referring to the present embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the same comprisesl a suitable frame l, in

carries near its upper end the usual circular knife 3. vThe shaft is driven in suitable manner as by a pulley 4: arranged near its lower end, and, as usual in machines of this character, the knife shaft is movable vertically at intervals and at the proper time in the operation of tapering the corks, as hereinafter explained. A cross plate 5 is secured to the main frame andarranged at an angle to the horizon and consequently at an angle to the horizontal knife 3, such angle corresponding to theusual or standard taper of cork. Upon this cross plate is formed a bearing 6 for a driving shaft 7, which is itself driven by means of a belt or rope 8 run-y ning over a small pulley or sheave 9 on the shaft 7 and over a larger pulley or sheave 10, on a cross shaft 1l, driven by the gear 12, as hereinafter explained. This cross piece also supports a bearing 13 in which rotates an arbor 14, whose inner end is serrated and formed as a chuck to engage the cork and cause'it to be rotated in the manner hereinafter made apparent, Figs. 4 and 7 While this arbor and its chuck may, of course, be continuously driven if desired, yet in the present instance it is intermittently operated. Asshown, this arbor is driven by means ofy a clutch, one member 15 of which is the stationary member and secured tothe arbor 14, whereasthe other member 16 is the movable member and is driven by the shaft7, as clearly indicatedin Figs. 1, 3 and' This clutch is under the control of a shifter 17, coperating with the movable clutch `meinber and having a rod or bar 18 extending 'obliquely across the machine and fulcrumed 'which is mounted a vertical shaft 2 which at its rear end to the machine frame at the i point 19, Figs. 2, 3 and 10. Intermediate its length this bar carries a depending cam roller 20, which is adapted to cooperate with a cam 21 formed on or secured to the inner side or face of the pulley or sheave 10. As a result of this construction and arrangement, it is obvious .that at the proper intervals of time the movable member of the clutch is shifted positively into and out of engagement with the stationary clutch member, so that at corresponding intervals the arbor or chuck lil will be rotated and stopped alternately. The movable clutch member ris held toward a disengaged position with a yielding pressure in suitable manner, as by means of a spring 22, Fig. 3 and consequently the cam moves the clutch shifter positively against the tension of such spring.

Cooperating with the chuck 14, which engages one end of the cork, is a center 23 adapted to engage and grip the other end thereof. This center 23 is in alinement with the chuck, Figs. 3 and 4, and has a slight reciprocating movement so that it is adapted to engage and hold the corks during the cutting operation, at which time the corks are rotated by the positively driven chuck or chuck member 141, and toA release such corks after such cutting operation-is completed. In the present instance the center 23 is arranged on the inner end of a spring-pressed reciprocable rod 24- having bearings 25 25 formed on or secured to the cross plate or piece 5. This rod is inwardly pressed with a yielding pressure by means of the coiled spring 26, which bears against ar collar 27 at one end and against the outer bearing 25 at the other end. The center 23 is by preference offset from the longitudinal axis of the rod 24 and is moreover, readily detachable from the inner end of such rod in any suitable manner, so that such device may be readily removed and another one substituted either of the same size or of a different size for accommodating corks of different diameter or length. For giving this rod the proper reciprocating movement against the tension of its spring 24, that is for removing the center 23 from engagement with the cork, I provide a suitable operating connection which, in the present instance, comprises a lever l28 pivoted intermediate its length on the stud 29 'on the cross plate 5 and pivotally connected at its upper end to said rod and carrying at its lower end a cam roller 30, which is interposed in the path of movement o f a cam 31. This cam is carried at one. end of the main driving shaft 32, Figs. 1,3 and 4S, which shaft is provided with the tight and loosev pulleys 33, 33 and also with abevel gear 34 for driving the gear 12 and Crees Shaft .11. herenbefere referred te The corks a are fed in automatic manner from a suitable source of supply and through a chute or feed tube 35, such corks 4being fed endto end in endless succession and being delivered by the chute` upon a bodily movable centering device at a point adjacent the cork-holder, said feed chute terminating in a stationary table 35a formed below the inclosing plate 35h, which is supported by rod 35c on a side plate 35d itself supported by the angle plate 35e forming a stationary table. This table may be a separate piece as shown or the end of the feed chute or tube itself flattened out as a table and the same is supported by the rod Bf which is secured to the transverse bar 35g. The corks are fed downwardly from the chute and the outermost is forced by the gravity or pressure of the row of corks, across said table and upon the hori- Zontal movable table or plate 36 of a rock arm 36, Figs. 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9. This movable table or plate has a substantially horizontal motion inwardly and outwardly for the purpose of transferring the corks bodily and presenting the same to the cork-holder in position to be caught and held thereby in the cork-tapering operation without any liability whatever of disturbing their proper position or alinement during the transferring operation. In presenting the cork tothe cork-holder the movement of said table 3G is inwardly, that is to the right, and after the cork has been engaged thereby such table moves in the opposite direction to initial position in order to receive and center the neXt succeeding cork, repeating the cycle of movement described, see Fig. 5. In order to properly center the cork I provide said centering device with an adjustable finger or block 37 rising above the plane of the table or plate 36, in position to engage the body of the cork, and forming with said table a V-shaped recess 37aL in which the cork is centered. This block is held in adjusted position by the thumb-nut 36a. To limit the outward movement of the cork delivered from the feed chute and about to be operated upon I provide an adjustable gage 38 carried on the upper end of an upright rod or support 39 (whose lower portion 39a is here shown of the larger diameter) and adjustable toward and away from the end of the corkchute through the medium of the lateral rod d0, which passes through the upper end of the support 39. To prevent any possible displacement of the cork upon said table after being delivered thereto, I provide a yielding or spring finger al which is adjustably supported by the gage 38 through the medium of the transverse pin 4:2 and supporting piece 43, adjustably connected to the stop plate, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. This spring finger is curved 4 rlhis rock arm is secured to a rock shaft 4G `operated at the proper time by operating connections hereinafter referred to. This centering plate, which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 to 8, is adjustably mounted upon its rock arm 45 in suitable manner, but in the present instance the same f is provided at its lower end, Figs. 6 and 8, with a laterally extending portion or block 47, which is received in a horizontal slot 48 near the upper end` of the rock arm. This block is engaged by an adjusting screw 49 bearing at one yend against the outer face of the rock arm, with the result that the plate may be adjusted horizontally by rotating the adjusting screw in one direction or the other as required.

The plate is maintained in adjusted position bythe nut 50 engaging a screw-thread ed projection 51 on the block and bearing against the sides of the rock arm. This plate is made adjustable soas to'provide for corks of different diameters, the object thereof being to cooperate with the main centering device to insure the proper centering of the cork so that when the latter is positioned against said plate the longitudinal axis of the same coincides exactly with the longitudinal axis of the chuck arbor. The object of mounting this plate on a movable member or rock arm is to provide for the shifting of the plate away from the cork immediately after the chucks have taken hold of the cork, with the result that the plate will not interfere with the rotation of the cork, especially in case such cork has inequalities upon its sides, but will afford clearance and will permit the cork to drop after the cutting operation.

The rock shaft 46 may be rocked in any suitable manner, but in the present instance this shaft, which is mounted in the bearings 52 52 in the cross piece 5 is provided with a depending arm 53, Figs. 1,2,4, and l0 in position to be contacted and operated by means ofan arm 54 secured to a rock shaft 55. As shown in Fig. 10, the cam 54 does not contact the arm 53 directly but through the medium of the adjustable set screw-54 whereby the movement of the parts may be more accurately timed. This latter rock shaft isl the shaft on which the rock arm 86a is mounted, with the result that the centering around said rock shaft 55. For rocking this latter shaft, I provide the same with an in` wardly extending arm 57, shown in detail in Figs. y5, 6 and 11 and in general in Fig. 8, which armis arranged in the path of movement of a long operating bar or arm 58 extending across the machine and pivoted at the rear sidethereof in the lugs 59. This operating bar or arm 58 has ata point intermediate its length a cam roller 58a which bears upon a` cam 60 secured to the cross shaft 11, with the result that during the rotation ofy the cross shaft the operating bar 58 is alternately raised and lowered and with the further result that the rock shaft 55 and the associated'parts are correspond- 'ingly rocked. This rock shaft is stopped or limited in one direction by contact of the stop arm 55u against the set screw 55b in frame 5.

In practice,fthe corks are fed automatically through the feed chute and are forced across the stationary table 352l which lis in reality the delivery end of said chute, di- -v rectly onto the table of the main centering device, which, as hereinbefore described, is movable bodily toward the cork-holder. Each cork is, in its turn, centered in the V- shaped recess 87a of the centering device and the proper centering is further assured by means of the centering plate 44. These two' parts of the centering device move inop posite directions and toward and away from each other, the main centering device mov ing yat a greater speed ythan the centering plate 44, so that when these two parts of the centering device reach or substantially reach their limit of movement towardeach other, the longitudinally movable center 23 forces the cork against the positively driven chuck 14, with the result that the cork is rotated and during such rotation is operated upon by the p circular knife 3 in the well known way. After the ytwo parts of the centering device have accomplished their centering action and the cork-holder has engaged the cork, the back piece or centering plate 44 moves back sufficiently to give clearance between itself and the cork and thereby prevent any interference with the cutting operation or operations of the machine and permittingythe cork to readily drop in to the delivery pipe or chute Gl after the cutting operation is completed,

It is thus evident that the corks are fed from f e ting operation are removed by means of a blower 62 arranged above the knife, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5.

As hereinbefore stated, the table 36 is adjustable on the rock arm 86a on which the desired adjustment is obtained in t-he present instance as clearly indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 by the provision of the adjusting screw 87 which is arranged to engage a block or projection 88 extending from the arm 36 into a slot 89 in the upper end of said rock arm. By turning the adjusting screw S7 in one direction or another the table 36 is raised or lowered, as the case mayl be, and such adjusted position is maintained by means of the thumb screw 90.

As herembefore stated the knife 3 is mounted upon the vertical shaft 2 which is driven by the pulley 4. The lower end of this shaft bears upon an adjustable shoe 91 movable upon the upwardly extending flanges 92a of a beam 92 which is pivoted at one end at 93 to the main frame of the machine, as cleary shown in Fig. l. Forraising and lowering this beam 92 and consequently raising and lowering the knife I provide a vertical rod 94e pivotally connected to an arm 94 which is secured to a rock shaft 94h having mounted thereon intermediate itsmlength a lifter arm 9&0 which in its rocking movements is adapted to contact and operate said beam 92. For operating the rod 94 I provide an inverted U-shaped cam bar 95 pivoted at one end to the main frame at 95a, the other end of thiscam bar being operatively connected wit-h the vertical rod 94. At the middle of its U-shaped portion this bar is provided with a cam roller 96 which is adapted to be contacted by the cam 97 which is mounted upon the cross shaft ll, all as clearly indicated in Fig. ll. In the rotation of said shaft this bar 95 is raised and lowered and through the connections already described the knife 3 is correspondingly raised and lowered.

I claim:

l. In a cork-tapering machine, the combination with a cutting disk arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, a cork-holding device comprising separable chucks, a blankfeeding chute, an oscillating horizontally movable table at one side of the chucks and on to which the blanks are successively fed from said chute, a horizontally movable back plate at the opposite side of the chucks, and means for moving said table and backplate horizontally toward and away from each other and toward and away from the chucks, said table and back plate forming and having means for centering and positioning the blank accurately with respect to the chucks.

2. In acork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and with cork-holding mechanism, of a device for irst centering the corks and` subsequently presenting them thereto comprising a table which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, and stationary means for engaging the cork with a yielding pressure while on said centering device and during the movement of the table toward the cork-holding means.

3. In 'a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising a table which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, and means for engaging the cork with a yielding pressure during its transfer to the cork-holding mechanism consisting of a. spring nger arranged in the path of movement of the cork and adapted to contact the same in its said shifting movement, said finger being'st-ation'ary and permitting the cork to slip thereunder in its transferring movement.

a; In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising a table which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, and means for engaging the cork with a yielding pressure consisting of anadjustable spring linger normally in flxedfposition and` arranged in the path of movement of the cork in the said shifting thereof to the cork holding mechanism.

5. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising an oscillating table which is movable toward and away from such mechanism., means for automatically feeding the corks one at a time upon the table, and an independently movable back piece or plate which coperates with said centering means and against which the corks are shifted thereby. s y

6. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks and'presenting them thereto comprising a table which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, means for automatically feeding the corks upon the table at one side thereof, and a movable back piece or plate which cooperates with said centering means and against which the corks are shifted thereby, said centering means and plate being movable toward and away from each other.

'7. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising a table which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, and a back ypiece or plate which coperates with said centering means and against which the corks are shifted thereby, said plate being movable to and from operative position and being adjustable as to such operative position to afford earlier or later contact with the cork.

8. In a cork tapering machine, the coinbination, with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising a table which is adapted to receive the corks one at a time and which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, a plate against which the corks are shifted one at a time and means whereby such plate is swung away from the cork immediately prior to the cutting operation to afford clearance between itself and the cork.

9. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding chucks, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising a table which is adapted to receive the corks one at aA time and which is movable toward and away from such chucks, a plate against which the corks are shifted one at a time, and which has a movement opposite to that of the centering means, and a rock arm on which the' plate is mounted.

10. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the cutting knife and cork holding chucks, of means for centering the corks and presenting them thereto comprising a table which is adapted to receive the corks one at a time and which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, a plate against which the corks are shifted one at a time, and which has a movement.

opposite to that of the centeringmeans, a rock arm on which the plate is mounted, and means for adjusting the plate with respect to the arm, said gage being stationary and independent of the table.

11. In a cork tapering machine, the combination with the cutting knife and cork holding mechanism, of means for centering the corks before presenting them to said mechanism comprising a table which isv adapted to receive the corks one at a time, and which is movable toward and away from such mechanism, a back piece or plate which coperates with said centering means and against which the corks are shifted, and means for moving said centering means and the plate toward and away from each other but at different speeds.

l2. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the rotatable cutting knife, of means for holding the cork in the cutting operation, a centering device on which the cork is centered preliminarily to its presentation to the holding means, andwhich is movable bodily toward such holding means to present the cork thereto inproperly cen-k tered position, said device includingv an oscillating table and a block. thereon for engaging the cork, and means for vautomatically feeding corks to said table comprising an inclined chute terminating in a fiat portion adjacent said table and at one side and' on a level therewith whereby the corks are fed upon the table by gravity, and a gage for limiting the feed of the cork across the table, saidgage being stationary and independent of the table.

13. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the rotatable cutting knife,

of means for holding the cork in the cutting operation, a centering device on which the cork is centered preliminarily to its presentation to the holding means, and which is movable bodily toward such holding means to present the cork thereto in properly centered position, said device including an oscillating table and a block thereon for engaging the cork, and means for automatically feeding corks to said table comprising an inclined chute terminating in a fiat portion adjacent said table and at one side and on a level therewith whereby the corks are fed upon the table by gravity, a stationary gage for limiting the feed of the cork across the table, and a stationary yielding means interposed in the path of movenient of the cork for pressing it against said block on the. oscillating table.

lli. In a cork tapering machine, the combination, with the rotatable cutting knife, of means for holding thek cork in the cutting operation, a centering device on which the cork is centered preliminarily to its presentation to the holding means, and which is movable bodily toward such holding means to present the cork thereto in properly centered position, said device including an oscillating table and a block thereon for engaging the cork, and means for automati-` o cally feeding corks to said table comprising an inclined chute terminating in a fiat portion adjacent said table and at one side and on a level therewith whereby the corks are fed upon the table by gravity, a stationary adjustable gagek for limiting the feed of the cork across the table, and an adjustable spring finger interposed in the path of movement ofthe cork for pressing it against said block on the oscillating table.

IRA T. MGCREADY.

Witnesses:

S. E. I-IIBBEN, Louis B. ERwIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

